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Decommissioning & Environmental Sciences
The mission of the Decommissioning and Environmental Sciences (DES) Division is to promote the development and use of those skills and technologies associated with the use of nuclear energy and the optimal management and stewardship of the environment, sustainable development, decommissioning, remediation, reutilization, and long-term surveillance and maintenance of nuclear-related installations, and sites. The target audience for this effort is the membership of the Division, the Society, and the public at large.
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Utility Working Conference and Vendor Technology Expo (UWC 2024)
August 4–7, 2024
Marco Island, FL|JW Marriott Marco Island
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Latest News
Vogtle-3 shuts down for valve issue
One of the new Vogtle units in Georgia was shut down unexpectedly on Monday last week for a valve issue that has since been investigated and repaired. According to multiple local news outlets, Georgia Power reported on July 17 that Unit 3 was back in service.
Southern Company spokesperson Jacob Hawkins confirmed that Vogtle-3 went off line at 9:25 p.m. local time on July 8 “due to lowering water levels in the steam generators caused by a valve issue on one of the three main feedwater pumps.”
Leah Spradley, Mark Abkowitz, James H. Clarke
Nuclear Technology | Volume 169 | Number 2 | February 2010 | Pages 180-194
Technical Paper | Radioactive Waste Management and Disposal | doi.org/10.13182/NT10-A9361
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper focuses on how variations in commercial spent nuclear fuel shipment schedules have the potential to impact preclosure operations at the proposed repository for high-level waste at Yucca Mountain (YM) in Nevada. The analysis employs a simulation tool developed by the authors for modeling the packaging and thermal characteristics of the waste stream arriving at Yucca Mountain and is related to a study on the safety of the surface facilities that was also conducted by the authors using the simulation tool. The objective of the research is to gain a better understanding of how waste-stream variations affect surface facility throughput, defined as the rate at which packages are prepared for aging or emplacement in the surface facilities at YM. The basis for and adequacy of the preliminary surface facility throughput requirements are reviewed by evaluating throughput performance subject to various preclosure operating scenarios.Results indicate that under most scenarios, the preliminary design adequately accommodates the mean demand over the operating lifetime for the canister receipt and closure facility (CRCF) and receipt facility (RF) but not the wet handling facility (WHF). While results indicate that WHF demand is likely to be higher than capacity in many scenarios, it seems reasonable that dual-purpose cask and truck deliveries could be deferred to maintain WHF operations at near-capacity levels.Results also show a high potential for variability in annual throughput demand at the CRCF and RF that might result in system backups. In the event of bottlenecks, the facility with less demand can fulfill functional roles of one that is overburdened. The overlap of functional capability in facilities incorporates flexibility into the system. However, since throughput targets are named per facility, as opposed to functions of the system, the design goals of the system as a whole are obscured. An alternative design is proposed that is based on functional goals within the facilities, along with other recommendations.